Thursday, July 09, 2026

Climate-smart apartments designed to beat the heat

Cover image: down to earth © France2
Issued on: 07/07/2026 
02:29 min

While most of France suffered from last week's heatwave, a certain number of Montpellier residents were in total comfort in their apartments – without air conditioning. From Middle Eastern-inspired latticework maximising ventilation to curved facades acting as giant sunshades, everything has been designed to keep the heat at bay. And it works: indoor temperatures rarely rise above 25°C. In this edition, we look at the design keeping people cool in the heat.




In Japan, authorities question dependence to air conditioning

Issued on: 09/07/2026 - 

In Japan, air conditioners are everywhere in people’s daily lives. 100% of subway lines are air-conditioned, as are 90% of apartment, often with one unit in every room. These practices are even encouraged by the government when temperatures rise above 31 degrees Celsius. A report from Tokyo with Ayana NISHIKAWA, Mélodie SFORZA and Adam Hancock.




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